"You can't kill me" Black Ops II Review

Choose your own adventure Black Ops 2



Another year, another Call of Duty. As a personal effort since COD 2, I like to beat the COD series on Veteran. Well I finally got Blops 2 done on the second play though on Vet.

First off, COD hasn't been a "great" challenge since COD World at War. COD 2 was a hair ripper with bad re-spawns, COD 4 was deadly with sharpshooter enemy AI, and World at War on vet should have been called World of Grenades. No where was safe when you crouch and see four grenade indicators flash, then you are dead. COD's since have just been more about using cover and take your time; sure cheap deaths are still there, but at least you kinda knew where it came from.

Second, Blops 2 is fun. While not the most engrossing story there is; playing like a Tarintino flashback movie. It has some really nice attributes, but it's not the quality of Blops. I liked Blops, that Vietnam vibe, the Cold War secrets and the story really did have a certain mystery about it. Blops 2 is, is,...a balls to the wall sci-fi war fighter, with just enough smattering of the old story to "link" it to the present story. You are Mason's son, from Blops and there the story takes off with some old friends who were thought dead. F*ck it. Woods is alive. He's the dude who fell into the fire for those who played the first. Let's do the math, these guys were in their 30s during 'Nam and then fast-forward to 2025...these guys would be crusty. Amazingly enough Woods is still a firecracker ;).

So this gun-runner you run into in Africa in 1986, holds a grudge, that lasts for years. There is more to this though. As Mason's son, you have a very deep involvement into the story. Both past and present. This gun  runner has found a way to interrupt and control the might of the U.S. military drones  You must stop him. This is where I think Blops 2 shines, it no longer is a linear storyline, your decisions affect the overall end story, but not directly the game in general. Basically the cut-scenes at the end change dramatically with your failures and successes. I didn't get the super happy fun time ending on my first play though, missed a few things that change the story. My last play though was even worse.

New to Blops is strike missions, these...'em, suck. At first you think this could be cool to play a real time strategy defend and attack scenario. You control SEALS and drones trying to accomplish objectives with poor AI and overwhelming odds. You basically become f*cking Rambo, and just do it yourself; with the rest of your units being bullet sponges. Sadly these affect the story also and I couldn't even capture an objective on vet.

Overall the sci-fi vibe and the over the top game play that is COD is still an enjoyable experience and suggest anybody to at least try to beat the story. Wing suits, wall penetrating sniper rifle, walking drone mechs and all the fun new toys that should have been multiplayer. Good or bad endings it's still fun. The end credits are enough to laugh about with a cameo by a band who did Bat Country.

Crash, bang craziness and COD reliability it's a Good Inu.

SWS out.